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DEFENCE chiefs have spent £50,000 of taxpayers’ cash on posh biscuits for top brass and senior civil servants.

Almost 108,000 packets, including, shortbread fingers and Viennese Swirls, have been eaten since 2016.

Viennese Swirls are among the 108,000 packets that have been scoffed since 2016
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Viennese Swirls are among the 108,000 packets that have been scoffed since 2016Credit: Alamy
One of the biggest challenges for new Secretary of State for Defence John Healey is ensuring money is spent wisely, according to former Army intelligence officer
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One of the biggest challenges for new Secretary of State for Defence John Healey is ensuring money is spent wisely, according to former Army intelligence officerCredit: Getty

A Freedom of Information release showed that brands favoured by Ministry of Defence staff in London include Crawfords and Meredith & Drew.

The disclosure comes as military personnel are having to live in squalid accommodation with broken boilers and leaky roofs.

Feeding biscuits to top brass is also counter to a campaign to get troops to eat more sensibly to cut weight and improve fitness.

The forces have been struggling with an obesity crisis with thousands of personnel suffering from weight problems.

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Hundreds have been issued with diet pills and offered liposuction or special diets.

Colonel Phil Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer said: “One of the biggest challenges for the new Secretary of State for Defence is ensuring money is spent wisely and that defence gets value for money.

“Whether it’s biscuits or barrels for guns, one thing is clear — defence consistently pays over the odds for what they get and senior officers simply don’t take the time to care.”

The MoD said: “Limited refreshments are supplied in a small number of diplomatic meetings and such spending continues to reduce.”

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